Golf club cleaning device having a blade-carrying shank and brushretaining means in combination



Oct. 28, 1958 R. H. SCHWARTZ 2,857,608 GOLF CLUB CLEANING DEVICE HAVING A BLADE-CARRYING SHANK AND BRUSH-RETAINING MEANS IN COMBINATION Filed Oct. 28, 1955 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS p wzgssrgsos V ,eom. CLUB. HAVING A BLADE-,CARRYING....SHANK AND 1 BRUSH- RETAINING MEANS IN "COMBINATION -Rayunond H'sclrwartzi'springfildiohio Application" (lctober"28*,"195 5, SferialNo. 543,471 1 Claim; 15-1-11 QM present .invention relates --toa no'vel device which iisrpar'ticularlyadapted-for'cleaning the face and grooves -of a golf club.

'.EGroovesuareprovidedintheface of golf clubs to impart spin to a golfsballrwhenrthe club face strikes the ball; these grooves frequently.become-filledtwith earth or raised mud *and'the "face of the club-is theniiiefiective to occasionithe desired"spinningjnioti'on of the-ba1l. It is therefore necessary'to maintainthe grooves and face of the club free of such substances to afford proper playing conditions.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a convenient tool of small size which may be readily gripped by a user in the removal of earth from narrow golf club grooves and to clean the face of the club.

An important object of the invention is to provide a States Patent-i0 b 1,

suspended from *a'" belti for exafiiplef o device.

golf club cleaning device of convenient size having a scraping blade with a tapering free end which is adapted to be entered into the golf club groove and which scraping blade may be pressured with a finger to cause the tapered end to enter a groove packed with earth.

It is another object of this invention to provide a golf club cleaning device comprising a blade carrying shank having depending wing portions between which there is compressively secured a brush retaining sleeve which is locked to the device by the compression of the wings against the sleeve.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel blank for the production of the golf club cleaning device.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view in full scale of one embodiment of the structure of invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the structure of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the golf club cleaning device of the invention in position to be pressured into a groove on the face of a golf club for effecting removal of earth from the same;

Figure 5 is a metal blank useful in the production of the tool of invention;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of the structure of Figure 1; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a further modification of the device of invention.

Referring to the drawings there is designated at 1 a longitudinally extending relatively short flat shank; wings 2, 3 depend from shank 1 forwardly of the rear end 4 of the shank. As shown in the drawings these wings are intermediate the ends of the shank and extend over amajor portion of the length of the shank. The numeral 5 indicates a scraping blade on the shank forwardly of the depending wings, the scraping blade being integral "with the shanle'andtaperingforwardly p 1 tion 'from the juncture of the' wing v's'iitli th pending-end 6' which is adapted I striking face of? a golf club liea vide'd at 7' with anbpeiiing therethrri The scraping blade terminates in a tapere -nter' afgr'oo a cord or chain by which the cleanin ay The opposed 'ends' 8, 9"

wardly from the shank in ofipdsed i'ela'tibni form, as indicated at 12, an acute angle withfth longi- '-tudinally extending shank.

a a A- -longitudinally"eirtendin 'b'rusfi ia ae'p 'as sasw -..the='wing portions and extends-'fliiii'githdiiiall therewith. This-brush'may-beany suitable s'ur'face cleali -suchas=wire;=:-theausualr bruslr' bi'istlesor eve Q a rib-- between whichx-thebristles areretaifiedf as most clearly shown in Figure 3. The sleeve 14 is of metal and is compressed between the depending wings 2, 3 of the shank 1.

As most clearly shown in Figure 3 a spacing may be provided at 15 between the top of the sleeve 14 and the underside of the flat shank 1 in order that the compression of the sleeve 14 will permit'of some metal flow into the spacing. The compression of the sleeve 14 by the wings 2, 3 is the only necessary retaining means for securing the brush to the shank. The provision of the acute angle at 12 permits of some slight flow of the metal of the brush retaining means or sleeve 14 toward the flared wing portions and provides a slight protuberance or bulge, indicated at 12a in Fig. 6, along the line of juncture of the wings and brush-retaining means, which bulge is hardly noticeable to the eye, but which very effectively locks the brush retaining means to the shank, as most clearly seen in Figure 6, also the metal sleeve extends very slightly from the wings at the apices of the angles, the brush-retaining means being compressed between the wing portions.

The components of the device, including the brush itself, are suitably of steel, although as noted hereinbefore other materials may be used for the brush.

Referring now particularly to Figure. 4 there is shown therein a golf club head 16 having a face 17 provided with a plurality of grooves 18. As illustrated in the figure the wing portions, as shown in outline form, are

retained by the hand of a user of the device between the thumb and fingers of the user, while the index finger supported on the scraping blade at 5 pressures the tapering free end 6 into a groove 18.

The grooves 18 are extremely narrow and earth frequently cakes very securely therein. An indicated in the figure the end of the brush 13 may touch the face of the club simultaneously with the insertion of the free end 6 into the groove, and in this position the brush may be used to sweep from the face of the club earth already loosened from another groove. Motion of the device across the'face of the club thus occasions a thorough cleaning of the same.

A blank such as is shown in Figure 5 is most useful in attaining the structure of invention as it may be stamped in one piece and then needs only the forcing of the wing portions 2, 3'downwardly about the sleeve 14 retained in the spacing between the wings to occasion complete locking. Thereafter it is only necessary to bend the end 6 downwardly and forwardly to attain the complete structure of Figure l.

1 'Ifhe' sh'ank; incliiding the depending wings and scraping blade," may take the formv hown in perspective in Fig ure 7, wherein parts similar to those of the preceding figures are given the same numerals but primed. As shown in Figure 7 the depending wings may be wholly beneath the flat portion of the shank at the lateralledges thereof.

' The compact arrangement of the cleaning device provides for its convenient carrying .in the pocket of the user, in a golf bag, or by suspension'from the belt of a user,'for example.

It will be understood thatthis invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to difierent usages and conditions and accordingly, it'is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within thescope of thevappended claim.

..I;claim:,

In a golf club cleaning device the combination of a blade-carrying shank with brush-retaining means, the shank being of a length such that it fits substantially wholly within the hand of,a user; of the device and the shank having opposed longitudinally extending wing portions depending therefrom rearwardly of the blade-carrying portion of the shank and extending over a major portion of the length of the device, said wing portions having outwardly flaring opposed ends forming an angle of less than with theshanh theshank having ing blade forwardly'thereon terminating in ana -rowed tapered free depending end which is adapted to enter a groove in the striking face of a golf club, said brushretaining means comprising a longitudinally extending metal sleeve extending beyond the wings at the apicesof the angles, the brush-retaining means being compressed.

between the wing portions and the metal sleeve being bulged at the junctures of the sleeve andthe endsfof the wings to securely lock the sleeve to the wings.

References Cited in the file of; this, patent UNITED STATES PATENTS w 

